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Map narrows for Obama reelection

Recent trends indicate a return to a national election measured in political inches. |
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Prince suggested that the 2008 race didn’t represent a shift from the red-and-blue trends but reflected the voters’ response to a deeply unpopular president and a lackluster GOP nominee.
“All the anger that built up favored the Democratic side and opportunities opened up that don’t normally happen and shouldn’t happen,” he said.

The three most extraordinary wins came in Virginia, North Carolina and Indiana — none of which had been carried by a Democrat presidential candidate in decades.

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Yet, the swing voters who lifted Obama in these states — which are likely to have a combined 39 electoral votes in 2012 — wholeheartedly supported the GOP last week, leading local party officials to warn that Democrats must find a way to appeal to the political center again if they expect to compete there in two years.

“It’ll be more difficult,” conceded Indiana Democratic Chairman Dan Parker, adding that Obama must make progress on job creation and deficit reduction to win back the moderates who fled the party last week.

What worries Parker, though, is the view among some liberals that the party shouldn’t tolerate the sort of centrist Democrats who populate the Hoosier State.

“Does the Democratic Party want to be a progressive party or a majority party?” he asked, lamenting “the vilification of moderate Democrats.”

Gary Pearce, a longtime North Carolina Democratic strategist, said he was also worried about some of the finger-pointing at the Blue Dogs in Congress.

Noting his state’s growing minority population, he argued: “It would be a huge mistake for Democrats to abandon us.”

If there was any good news to be found by Democrats in an election defeat that Obama himself referred to as a “shellacking,” it was that the election returns reiterated the GOP’s long-term demographic trends: Older voters made up an outsized share of the electorate, younger Americans voted in smaller numbers than in 2008 and Hispanics were pivotal in a handful of key Democratic victories.

Even as the industrial states of the heartland look more difficult for Obama after this year, much of the West showed signs of promise. With fast-growing populations of voters with loose political allegiances, the region could offer the president a bulwark.

“That’s where long-term demographic destiny will show itself most immediately,” Jordan said.

Most reassuring to party strategists about last Tuesday was the exit poll data that showed Hispanics breaking overwhelmingly for Democrats in the region.

“The key to Democrats in the long run are Hispanics,” veteran consultant Harold Ickes said. “They are clearly an offset against losses in other segments of the vote.”

It doesn't matter, really. The demographics are moving away from the old angry white folks and towards a browner, better America. To the extent the Republicans are willing to compromise on immigration reform, taht could be neutralized in 2 years...maybe. Absent that, the Republican Tea Tard Party is actually fading...permanently.

Obama...man up. Compromise with these rednecks is impossible. CALL THEM OUT and you'll be fine. America needs a FIGHTER right now. Save the compromises for after your re-election.

This is why Republicans better not nominate a moron like Sarah Palin. We don't need someone like Sharron Angle, or Christine O' Donnell to get the nomination, and then crash and burn in the election - which is what would happen to Palin. Republican's need to nominate someone with brevity and intelligence. I don't know which candidate that is yet, but I know it definately is not Sarah Palin.

I am sick of the Dems trying to pit people against each other. Poor against rich. Black against White, Muslims against Christians and Jews. This is the great uniter? what a joke! The biggest divider ever! What group are you in? Then he goes around to colleges to try and brainwash the young as his head czar said the Homner Simpsons that are easy to manipulate.. Use is more like it! They are the ones who are going to see their dreams flushed down the toilet by higher taxes more regulation, no jobs and no future, the Democratic way. Thats why he speaks at collages to the niave who don't pay attention to whats really going on. Heh a free concerrt ticket just to listen to Obama! wow

I think I will wait for more reasoned opinions of scientific-based professional political prognosticators rather than rely on the musings of rank political amateurs like you and the other cannon fodder used by corporate donors to and political operatives of the Republican/Teabaggers' Party.